Electric clock.



L. CERF.

ELECTRIC CLOCK. APPLIOATION FILED MAR.11,1914.

1 1 1 5,283. Patented 0011.27, 1914.

WITNESStS Z5; 75/? 'f/FF 1 TTOR/VEYS UNITED STATES Parana" can on.

LESTER CERF, OF NEW YORK, N. '2'.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

[0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LESTER CERF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Electric Clock, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact des 'iption.

The invention relates to electric clocks in which the driving power is the solenoid connected with a local electric battery.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved electric clock arranged to insure great accuracy and to require a minimum amount of electric current for actuating the clock. in order to accomplish the desired result. use is made of an auxiliary spring driving device placed under tension by the action of thesolenoid and adapted to drive the train of gear wheels of the time mechanism during the time the core of the solenoid returns to normal position.

A. practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a face view of the electric clock. the dial being omitted; Fig. is a side elevation of the same with the solenoid in section: liig. is an enlarged side elevation of the an iliary spring device ,controlled from the solenoid and the contact arms for closing the circuit: Fig. *i is a plan view of one oi the contacts: and Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of the connection between the solen id and the swinging contact.

Un the framework A of pendulum clock is journaled a minute arborB carrying a minute hand C and the first g ar wheel D of the train of gearing comprised in the usual clock movement. The gear wheel D is in mesh with a second gear wheel E journaled on the framework A and in mesh with a thirdgear wheel or driving pinion F'secured onthe arbor G imirnaled on the framework A. On the arbor (iseeured a gear wheel H in mesh with a pinion i secured onan arbor .l" i-tiurnaled on the framework A. and rotat ng with the said pinion l is a gear wheel I in mesh with a pinion l I cured on an arbor 1* journaled on the frame I work A and carrving an cscapement wheel I engaged by the anchor J connected with the pendulum K. The arbor B is connected l Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 11,

Patented @cit. 2'7, 1914. 191.4. Serial No. 823,916.

by the usual train of gear wheels L, L, L and L with the sleeve of the hour hand C to turn the latter. The parts of the clock thus far described are common to clocks so that further description of the detailed construction and the operation of the parts is not deemed necessary.

0n the arbor G is mounted to swing loosely an arm N connected by a link 0 with the upper end of the core P of a solenoid P attached to the framework A. The lower end 01 the solenoid. P is provided with a Ushapcd weight F which also serves to limit the upward sliding movement of the core P at the time the solenoid P is energized, as hereinafter more fully described. T he arm N extends between spaced lugs Q and 01 a contact arm Q mounted to swing loosely on the arbor G as a fulcrum and the free end of this movable contact Q is ada ted to pass between the plates Q Qof a -Xed contact secured to the framework A, the plate Q being held insulated by a block Q (see Fig. i) from the plate Q The plate Q" of the fixed contact is connected by a wire R with one end of the solenoid P connected at its other end by a wire R with the lran'ieworlt A .so that when the movable contact Q passes between the plates Q Q then the electric circuit for the solenoid P is closed. to energize the solenoid P and thus move the core P from its normal lowermost position. to uppermost position, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. As shown in Fig. l, the wire R connects with a suitable source of electric energy S such as a battery or the like.

911 the arbor G is mounted to loosely a ratchet wheel T tated in the direction of the. arrow a by a pawl T fulcrurned on the pivot X connecting the link O with the arm K (see Figs. 1 and 3), and the said pawl T is pressed on by a spring T held on the arm N to normally hold the pawl 'l" in engagement with the ratchet wheel T. The pawl T is pro vided with an angular extension T having a cross bar T," adapted to be engaged by the link 0 at the time the core l nears lowerrotate adapted to be roniost position, so that the pawl T is swung out of engagement with the ratchet wheel T t he time the core P swings into lower niost position (see Fig. 3). that at'the time the movable contact has moved into engagement with the plates Q. Q and closes the electric circuit by the solenoid P.

On one face of the ratchet wheel T is secured one end of a spring U secured at its other end to the peripheral face of the pinion F so that this spring U is placed under tension at the time the ratchet wheel T is turned in. the direction of the arrow 0 by the pawl T during the time the core P moves from its uppermost position, shown in Fig. 1, downward into lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 3. The ratchet wheel T is held against return movement by dog V fulcrumed at V on the framework A and is pressed on by a spring V The operation is as follows: When the several parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the core l. is in uppermost position and gradually slides downward by its own weight and in doing so it imparts a downward swinging motion to the arm N by the link 0 connecting the core P with the said arm N. During the forward move ment of the arm N the pawl T turns the ratchet wheel T in the direction of the arrow (1 whereby the'pinion F is turned and the spring U is placed under tension.

\Vhen the core P nears a lowermost position the arm N moves into contact with the lug Q? thus imparting a swinging motion to the contact Q and moving the same into engagement with the ,contact plates Q}, Q to close the electric circuit for the solenoid P, thus energizing the latter. At the time this takes place the pawl T is thrown out oi engagement with the ratchet wheel T to allow the spring U to keep on turning the pinion F and the trains of gear wheels connected therewith and with the arbor G, thus insuring a continuous'action of the clock movement. As soon as the solenoid P is energized it causes its core P to slide upward whereby an upward swinging motion is given to the arm N and the latter moves out of'engagement with the lug C and finally engages the lug t to impart a return swinging motion to the contact Q. When this takes place the contact Q moves out of engagement with the plates Q Q thus breaking the circuit for the solenoid P. The core P by its momentum moves into uppermost position and then begins to slide downward by its own weight. By providing the spaced lugs Q, Q and alter- 1,115,2ss I 'nately engaging the same by the arm N the contact Q, remains a sufficient length of time in engagement with the plates Q; Q to insure a thorough energizing of the solenoid P. During the upward movement or the arm N the pawl T reengages the ratchet wheel T but glides over the teeth thereof.

It is understood that the tension of the spring U turns the pinion F a distance corresponding to that between two or three teeth of the pinion .F as by this time the core P begins to slide downward and the pawl T now again turns the ratchet wheel T which by the spring U turns the pinion F.

It is further understood that it requires but little tension of the spring U to turn the pinion F as above described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

fl. In an electric clock having an actuating ratchet wheel with its pawl and a solenoid, a shaft on which the ratchet Wheel is mounted, contacts for the solenoid, one of which is in the form of a contact arm fulcrumed at one end on the said shaft with the ratchet wheel and provided with spaced lugs projecting from its said end adjacent its fulcrum, and a pawl carrying arm also fulcrumed to move on the said shaft, having connection with the core of the solenoid and engageable' adjacent the limits of it's movement with the, lugs of the said contact arm to move the latter into and out of engagement with the other solenoid contact.

2. In an electric clock having an'actuating ratchet wheel and a solenoid, a pawl for moving the ratchet wheel having an angular extension, a core movable in the solenoid and a link having connection with the core of the solenoid and upon which said pawl is pivotally mounted, engageable with the pawl extension during its movement to shift the pawl away from the ratchet wheel, substantially as and for the purpose-set forth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. LESTER CERF.

Witnesses:

THEo. G. 'Hos'rnn PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS. 

